So, I'll put in my five or so cents...
My discharge will be effective in July, and I spent a fair amount of time researching and speaking with legal professionals before I made the decision to accept that discharge.
You can get a waiver for many medical conditions, asthma being one of them, depending on the severity of the condition, and how much the recruiter you're working with, is willing to fight for you. Medical waivers involve a lot of paperwork, so the recruiter has to be motivated to do all of the follow-up.
There are very few "hard and fast" rules with regards to medical conditions and military service. There are waivers for *almost* everything.
Transsexuality is viewed two separate ways by the military.
If you are a post-op [bottom] transsexual, you have a genital defect that precludes military service. Persons with intersex conditions or other genital abnormality are also denied service.
If you are pre-op, you are seen to be suffering from a mental condition that is determined to be incompatible with military service. The paragraphs in the regulations group transsexuality alongside paraphilias and personality disorders [at least, in the Army regs.]
Essentially, conditions for which no waivers will be granted.
While it is true that there are persons serving who may have incurred genital injury as the result of accident or disease while in the military, or who have developed psychological disorders through similar means, their conditions are often handled differently, largely because the military has already invested a sum of money into training them, and its financially wise to attempt to retain them if their condition permits, on a case-by-case basis.
There is a higher presumption that *they* will be able to serve with their conditions, because they've already demonstrated an ability to do so, prior to the development of the condition.
Even among the "healthy" recruit population, there is a certain degree of attrition, so the applicants are screened for any conditions that might increase their risk of being incapable of performing their duties.
DADT doesn't factor into this debate. Frankly, a discharge under DADT is often favorable, as compared to being discharged for having been "outted" as trans, since DADT ensures that the discharge for homosexuality will be Honorable. A person being discharged for being trans could be subject to a variety of discharges, depending on the command climate and the circumstances surrounding the discovery of the person's trans status.
For example, should one be determined to have taken hormones, they could be discharged with a General [which forfeits some of the educational and VA entitlements] discharge, or a Bad Conduct discharge, for misconduct [drug abuse].
Some commands have been known to give Bad Conduct discharges on the basis that most psychologists agree that transsexuality exists either from birth, or very early childhood, and therefore the condition was preexisting, support a discharge for Fraudulent Enlistment [and the forfeiture of ALL benefits].
I would strongly advise against entering the service under false pretenses, that is, detransitioning and enlisting and serving as one's biological sex. Your enlistment is at least 8 years long. 8 years is a VERY long time to struggle with gender dysphoria, essentially untreated. Not to mention the constant fear of being "discovered", and losing everything. Trust me- I'm just completing my eight years of service. It has NOT been fun.
Yes, the recruiter will tell you that you can enlist for as little as two years, and on the surface, that *is* true. But your actual service obligation is always 8 years. You may simply spend a degree of that time in the "Inactive Ready Reserve". That means you are essentially "out" of the military, but subject to recall.
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*deep breath*
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With all that said...
I do forsee a day when transpeople can serve openly.
Foreign militaries already permit it. It is false to say that a person with a condition that requires ongoing medical treatment and monitoring cannot serve. Many personnel do so, already. I've served the past three years with diagnosed PTSD, depression and ADHD, all of which have required ongoing medical treatment, to include bloodwork to ensure that my medications have not risen to toxic levels in my blood stream- no different than as required by HRT.
There *will* be a day when transpeople serve openly... but probably not until most of us have surpassed the maximum enlistment age.
